Down The Line - Previews review for January 2004 by Randy Lander & Dave Farabee While my Snap Judgments reviews cover books as they are released, I'm as avid a follower of "what's next" as anyone else. Thus these Previews reviews, covering the Diamond Previews that allow fans to preorder comics from their local retailer. This installment covers the November previews for comics due to ship out in January 2004. Pre-ordering is your friend. If there's stuff you want in January, letting your retailer know before the end of November is the best way to make sure you get it. Joining me for this look into the days of futures yet to come is Dave Farabee. There's been some confusion on this point, so I feel I should make it clear that Dave is not, in fact, my regular Fourth Rail partner Don MacPherson. He's not even Canadian. DAVE: I may not be a full-blooded Canadian, but by God I'm Canadian in spirit. Hence my passion for cheese logs, nationalized health care, and the comic book adventures of Rom - Spaceknight! As you can see from the above, my comments will be the normal type, and Dave's will be in yellow. Because Dave and I tend to run longer than when I was writing solo, we usually break this down into two parts, but it turns out January is a depressingly small month for the small press, so we're going to write it all in one this time out. Feel free to break in the middle for a snack if it feels too long this month. BIG FOUR PICKS OF THE MONTH: DC: The New Frontier #1 (DC) - DAVE: Given my growing disenchantment with "decompressed" superhero comics trafficing in moral ambiguity over heroic themes, and my outright love for the art of Darwyn Cooke...yeah, baby, you better believe this is my pick of the litter! The New Frontier is a six issue miniseries that looks at DC's heroes of the Silver Age, specifically the Justice League heroes, in the League's original era of the 50's. Spotlighted heroes include the Barry Allen Flash and Hal Jordan Green Lantern, and Cooke looks to offer a modernist look at their era while still remaining true to their heroic roots. For those lucky enough to've read Cooke's Catwoman graphic novel, Selina's Big Score, you know you're in for a treat. For the rest - start getting used to Cooke's name, 'cause he's about to knock one out of the park. RANDY: Awww hell yeah. Darwyn was kind enough to show me about the first half (or maybe a little more) of the first issue at the recent Las Vegas Con, and it looks every bit as good as I'd hoped. It opens with DC's classic army characters and dinosaurs, and was just fantastic and fun. I can't wait to get this whole thing in a big snazzy hardcover format, and I also can't wait to read it issue-by-issue as it comes out. Hellboy New Trades (Dark Horse) - RANDY: Truthfully, New Frontier is at the top of my list this month as well, but I would be remiss if I didn't show some love to Hellboy, which I've become a big fan of recently. I'm a relative latecomer to Hellboy, but the movie hype has gotten me onboard big time, both because of the promising still shots from the movie and the increase in B.P.R.D. material from Dark Horse that has made me a fan of the concepts. Now the good folks at Dark Horse are doing new trade editions for folks like me who haven't picked up the trades yet, and they look great. Dark Horse has some of the best designers in the business, and they've nailed the basics already, with the long-missing numbers on the spine that tell new readers what order the stories read in. INDY PICK OF THE MONTH: Kiss Kiss Bang Bang #1 (Crossgen) - DAVE: You know it's a somewhat slow month for indies when a glitzy CrossGen spy comic is your pick, but what can I say? I'm pretty jazzed for this book. It has the amusing premise that the famous British spy, Sir Charles Basildon (a shameless Bond analog), is in fact a fictional creation much like the "Dread Pirate Roberts" in The Princess Bride, passed on from one top agent to the next. The sparks fly when the current "Basildon" is forced to pass on the role not only to a Yank, but to a woman no less! Okay, sounds lightweight, but it sounds fun. Espionage books have hit a nice spike with Queen & Country representing the real world stakes, The Losers throwing off the vibe of an R-rated Hollywood actioneer, and now Kiss Kiss Bang Bang representhing some PG-13, James Bond style fun. RANDY: To be honest, I'm a little wary that this could be too much "little from column A, little from column B" formulaic, because the idea of the James Bond identity being passed on to an American woman sounds a wee bit too cute to me. That said, though, my hope is that this will be kind of a fun, action-heavy spy book. Certainly, the Sigil-less Crossgen launches like El Cazador and Way of the Rat have done me right so far. Red, White, Black & Blue: A (Th)Ink Anthology TP (Manic D Press) - RANDY: Buried deep in the book section, with about a half-inch of copy, we have Keith Knight's newest offering. I almost missed seeing it, and I'm glad I didn't, because Knight's collections of his strip The K Chronicles are hilarious, scathing and intelligent, and what I've seen of his single panel (Th)Ink political cartoons fit that description as well. Given that it's a pretty weak month for the indies, spotlighting this as my indy pick of the month is a no-brainer. Freaks of the Heartland (Dark Horse) - RANDY: Steve Niles has pretty much become synonymous with horror comics these days, and Freaks of the Heartland is another new concept from the guy who has so far tackled vampires, private eyes of the macabre, the Frankenstein story and... uh... more vampires. The story sounds very interesting, exploring the notion of a freakish, dangerous creature and his younger brother in the heartland of America, but the real selling point is the artwork. Greg Ruth's painted style is gorgeous to look at, whether it's the haunting cover shot or the page of interior art previewed. DAVE: Wow, that painted art really is something - I think I even see a touch of Gene Colan in its realism and inky shadows. Yep, this one even looks interesting to me, and I'm one of the few who hasn't joined the Steve Niles cult o' horror. The Goon: Rough Stuff TP (Dark Horse) - RANDY: I didn't catch up to The Goon until after Dark Horse picked it up, so I'm pleased that they're collecting all of Eric Powell's indy stories of The Goon in this trade paperback, which precedes Nothin' But Misery, the other Goon trade. I'm especially pleased that they're going to be in full color, because Dave Stewart has been doing phenomenal work on the monthly Goon book, and I'm guessing he'll be the one to color these stories as well. DAVE: The Goon rocks. Tim Burton macabre meet the laugh-out-loud humor of The Tick - what's not to like? Comics Between the Panels HC (Dark Horse) - DAVE: Okay, this sounds like some pretty good infotainment, being an irreverent, pull-no-punches, 500-page look at the comic industry. It was actually released several years ago, but this is a new printing. What interests me is that in looking up info on it, I caught on that not only is it lavishly produced and well-illustrated, but that it's got a bit of an anti-establishment feel to it. As Marvel and DC continue to control the comic book audience, leaving readers with little knowledge of EC Comics, the undergrounds, and the whole rich tapestry of comics history, this seems like a fine time for a re-issue. I missed it the first time, but I'm looking forward to checking it out now. RANDY: I also missed out on this one, but you're right, the somewhat irreverent tone and a focus less on the big boys sounds like just the right thing to set this apart from the various other tomes on the industry's history. And the price for 500 pages of full color is really pretty hard to beat. Kwaidan TP (Dark Horse) - RANDY: Now here's a title that could have used a page or two of interior art, because the teaser image and the solicitation copy sound interesting, but I'm left uncertain about the book. This sounds like it could be one of those complex, confusing kung fu magic manga that I've seen, but it also could be a haunting and exciting story. Dark Horse has a pretty good track record with me and manga, though, so I'm hoping and honestly expecting the latter. DAVE: Agreement on all points here. Club 9 Vol. 3 TP (Dark Horse) - RANDY: After reading two trades, I've finally been won over to the merits of Kobayashi's cat comic What's Michael?, but Club 9 is still my favorite of his work. Volume two cemented my interest in the spunky if somewhat naive Haruo Hattori and her club-working friends, and Kobayashi piles on the charm and the funny in with his exceptional artwork. This is a must-read for fans (current and former) of Terry Moore's Strangers in Paradise. DAVE: And another seconded vote. My own preference for Kobayashi's work IS for What's Michael, but Club 9's got a charm all its own. What strikes me most about Kobayashi is the essential good-naturedness of all his projects and his dead-on comic timing. Superman Comics (DC) - DAVE: Oy. Vey. There's a new story crossing over between all three Superman titles, name of "Strange New Visitor," and not only do I think such crossovers weaken the line, but I'm dumbfounded at the esoteric nature of the story. Believe it or not, in the wake of Superman #200, Wildstorm's Superman analog, Mr. Majestic, will somehow be crossing over into the DC Universe to take his place. What the fuh? How long is it going to take DC to realize that they can't reinvigorate the ailing Superman franchise with endless, naval-gazing looks at "why the world needs Superman"?! Please. Get some great creators on the title and just let them tell great stories with minimal editorial interference. No more mission statement stories. RANDY: You know, I like Mr. Majestic and I think this is a horrible idea. Good luck to Abnett & Lanning, who are writing a fantastic Legion series, but this looks like another one of those "what the hell are they thinking?" decisions that have plagued the Superman titles for... well, for as long as I've been reading comics, honestly. Superman: Red Son TP (DC) - DAVE: Interesting, isn't it, that one of the best-reviewed Superman titles of late was an Elseworlds story ("What if little Kal-El's ship had landed in Russia?") free of the contraints of continuity and editorial oversight? Red Son did not, in fact capture my interest - I'm a little burned-out on Elseworlds - but I'm pleased that any sort of Superman project captured reader interest this year. Kudos to DC for getting it traded quickly, and hopefully they'll take a cue from its success in their mainline Superman titles. RANDY: I sort of lost interest in Red Son as it went on, to the point where I didn't seek out the third issue after it sold out before I could read it. But I really enjoyed the first part of the story, and I'm glad to see the book getting a trade collection so promptly. Superman: Secret Identity #1 (DC) - RANDY: It's a Superman story that's not about Superman... or at least, it doesn't seem to be. Kurt Busiek has a great high concept here, that someone whose folks saddled him with the gimmick name of Clark Kent suddenly discovers he does have super-powers. The story could go anywhere from there, so it's tough to tell whether it'll work or not, but given the streak Busiek has been on with Astro City, Arrowsmith and JLA/Avengers, and the intriguing new style that artist Stuart Immonen has developed for the piece, I'm betting on it being pretty good. DAVE: You know what? I always gripe about DC's seeming inability to JUST TELL SOME GOOD ADVENTURE STORIES with Superman, but this particular mini I'll give a pass to simply because Busiek's *proven* he can handle this kind of stuff. It's biggest obstacle, I think, is that each issue of this four-part mini will be in $5.95 prestige format. I can visibly see readers growing weary of these prices. RANDY: A fair point. Honestly, if you're going to sticker shock them anyway, why not go all the way and just do it as an original graphic novel at this point? I know that I'm hoping for a trade collection on this one, but if it had been solicited as a $24 trade (or hardcover) instead of a mini costing the same amount in four installments, I'd be signing up to order it now. Green Arrow #34 (DC) - RANDY: It's tough for me to express how much I've been enjoying Winick's Green Arrow, but it says something that because of his story, my enthusiasm for the Smith/Meltzer runs (with artwork by Hester and Parks) has been rekindled to the point that I plan on picking up trades of their runs to get the complete story (Smith's second trade, The Sounds of Violence, is solicited this month.) I'm sad to see Matt Wagner depart as cover artist, but elated that the team of Hester and Parks remain, and I look forward to Winick's second arc. Given the hints about "one of DCU's most dangerous villains," it looks like we'll be getting the same solid mix of super-hero action and a use of a rich shared continuity along with Winick's usual witty and modern style. DAVE: S'funny. You're all about Winick on Green Arrow right now, whereas I've soured on his run based on a few grim 'n' gritty developments in the last issue. A shame, because I think Phil Hester's all but become the definitive modern Green Arrow artist. RANDY: Well, you've got to remember... you are grumpy and mean, whereas I am sweetness and light. Always. Except when talking about DC's bizarre trade publication policies. Case in point... JLA: Zatanna's Search TP (DC) - DAVE: Fisnhet fetishists, take note: what we've got here is a collection of all the various Silver Age stories featuring the perpetually sexy Zatanna. This is the kind of thing that I'm more likely to shrug at, but with talent like Gil Kane and Carmine Infantino featured, this sounds a little more interesting than most Silver Age reprints. RANDY: You know, I've got nothing against Zatanna... but what the hell? A collection of Silver Age Zatanna stories gets traded, and we're still waiting on the rest of Starman and Hitman, with the possibility that we may never see either? When Wonder Woman by Perez hasn't been traded, despite the perfect marketing tie-in of increased Amazon interest thanks to Greg Rucka's run? I'm all for DC mixing the esoteric with the marketing-driven, but I can see no reason why there's a weird-ass Zatanna collection instead of about a hundred other things they could have done that seem more likely to make some money. Justice League Adventures TP (DC) - DAVE: Archie, watch your freckled ass, you punk, 'cause DC is collecting two volumes of the animation-inspired Justice League Adventures comic in your all-but-copyrighted digest format. I'll be happy to see these in comic stores, but what I'd love, what I'd REALLY LOVE, is for these things to actually compete with Archie comic in supermarkets where kids could find 'em. DC? Any chance of getting these outside the direct market? RANDY: Well, Dave, you never know... anything could happen. Outsiders: Looking for Trouble TP (DC) - RANDY: Though I have lost a little of my enthusiasm for this book with the Brother Blood arc (and the temporary loss of Tom Raney on art), I'm still very much looking forward to having the first six issues of The Outsiders in trade form on my bookshelf. Winick took his gift for super-hero action and Whedon-esque banter from Green Arrow to a team book pretty smoothly, and this trade has one of the best "team of super-heroes versus army of armed gorilla" scenes I've seen in comics. There's not a lot of competition in that category, but I still feel it's an achievement. DAVE: *Cough!* Overrated *Cough!* RANDY: You okay, there, Dave? Sounds like you're coming down with something. Maybe a little bit of "No love for the monkeys"-itis? Wonder Woman #200 (DC) - DAVE: I've had mixed feelings on Rucka's new direction for Wonder Woman. Point: good art and a refreshing look at Wonder Woman's ambassadorial life. Counterpoint: no action to speak of, and little sense that she's a heroic icon to stand beside Superman and Batman. I'll say this, though: issue #200 looks to have some cool stuff: Eric "Age of Bronze" Shanower illustrating a prose story, Linda Medley on a Wonder Girl story, Ty Templeton illustrating an homage to Wonder Woman's bizarre Silver Age tales, and pin-ups by Risso, Simonson, Rude, and more. Well worth a look, I think. RANDY: I give it but a wary glance. See, I've liked Rucka's stories as well, but I'm such a non-fan of this character that the negatives you talk about are exacerbated in my eyes, and the positives just haven't quite won me over. I think Rucka's doing a great job, but that may just mean that it's proven that nobody can make me a Wonder Woman fan. Global Frequency: Planet Ablaze TP (DC/Wildstorm) - RANDY: Another title where my interest cooled as things went on, but this collection of the first half of Ellis's story of a modern-day underground rescue organization, part Planetary and part Thunderbirds, has some definite high points. It also has a pretty solid art pedigree, with the real high points being the work of Garry Leach on the first issue's chase sequences. Mind you, I'd rather have had one gigantic trade collecting the entire 12 issue series, but given that I'm on the fence as to whether or not I'll be picking this up at all, I'm not really the target audience anyway. Lovecraft HC (DC/Vertigo) - DAVE: What we've got here is a fictionalized telling of the life of H.P. Lovecraft that suggests that his disturbing horror stories might have taken inspiration from - *gasp* -real events! Sounds like something a little more suited to a prose story than a $25 hardcover, but it's got me curious at the very least. Lucifer: Inferno TP (DC/Vertigo) - RANDY: Not much to say except that it's another Lucifer collection, and I'm really glad that this has settled into the predictable collection territory of Preacher and Transmetropolitan rather than the "where the hell are they?" territory of Doom Patrol or Shade the Changing Man. This one has Lucifer returning to Hell for a challenge, which crosses him over with some of the characters from volume three, "A Dalliance with the Damned." Midnight, Mass: Here There Be Monsters #1 (DC/Vertigo) - DAVE: I really liked the concept of the first Midnight, Mass. Vertigo mini - happily married husband and wife investigate paranormal weirdness - but the execution fell flat for me after it's promising first issue. I'm kind of taken with the preview art for this sequel, though, so I think a second chance is in order. RANDY: That preview art, by the way, is by Paul Lee, who has done such fantastic work on Lurid, those creepy Buffy the Vampire Slayer covers and The Devil's Footprints. Like you, I was disappointed by the first Midnight, Mass., and like you, it's the artwork that's luring me back to give it a second chance. Well, that and the fact that John Rozum wrote a fantastic Vertigo-esque horror/weirdness series for Milestone named Xombi, so I know he's got greatness in him, especially in this genre. Oh, for what it's worth, that image on the left isn't by Paul Lee, but by cover artist Tomer (Bipolar) Hanuka, also a master of the creepy imagery. Great creative pedigree on this book all around, actually. My Faith in Frankie #1 (DC/Vertigo) - RANDY: Too many times, these 4-issue Vertigo mini-series are unfairly consigned to the "also ran" bin, becoming forgotten gems that never get the trade paperback treatment. I hope that My Faith in Frankie dodges that bullet, but just in case it doesn't, even those of us who are trying out the "trade only" style of collecting might give this one a shot. The creative team consists of Mike Carey, branching out from the epic style of Lucifer into a sort of weird romantic comedy vein, and the art is by veteran funny artist Marc Hempel and exceptionally promising new talent Sonny Liew, whose self-published Malinky Robot is a beautiful piece of work. The preview pages that DC has provided are funny and quirky, and I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for this unusual project. Pride & Joy TP (DC/Vertigo) - RANDY: Remember what I was talking about with those "forgotten gems" of Vertigo mini-series? Pride & Joy is one of those. It's an Ennis crime story with art by John Higgins, and at this point it's pretty old (I'm pretty sure it came out in the middle of his Preacher run). So old, in fact, that my enthusiasm for it has pretty much died out, especially since I already own the issues, but I will say that I remember it being a good read. Certainly it's better than most of the "Ennis on autopilot" stuff that unfortunately makes up a lot of his modern output. Aria Vol. 2: The Soulmarket TP (Image) - DAVE: Some folks don't like the Aria stories that aren't illustrated by Jay Anacleto, but I'm not one of 'em. Anacleto's great, but it's the modern-day fantasy concepts of Brian Holguin that keep me coming back. Besides, Anacleto does provide some of the art for this second volume - a dark tale of Robin Goodfellow coming to modern day New York - and artists David Yardin and Lan "Fables" Medina are no slouches. Looking forward to it. Bloodstream #1 (Image) - DAVE: Weird. Weird, weird, weird. "Exotic dancer Amber O'Neil is all too familiar with men taking advantage of her, but nothing could prepare her for becoming the target of a secretive biotech company developing an experimental new blood substitute." Did I mention, weird? RANDY: Yeah, but purty-looking. And weird concepts can sometimes deliver some fantastic comics. I know nothing of this creative team, but the preview image is striking and the concept certainly does draw my attention. Desperate Times #0 (Image) - RANDY: This will be the third attempt at Chris Eliopoulos's Desperate Times, a buddy comedy strip that has always been funny but has never quite managed to get the following it deserved. However, this time out, Eliopoulos is in the sideways format used by strip style comics PVP and Liberty Meadows, and his work will fit nicely in with the "remember when newspaper strips didn't suck" mini-imprint that those books represent. Honestly, of the three, I think Desperate Times is the best strip, and if you're a fan of either of the other two (or of independent strip The Norm) you should definitely check it out. Kane Vol. 1: Greetings From New Eden TP (Image) - RANDY: I have the good fortune of already having the four printed volumes of Paul Grist's cop drama with a touch of the quirk, Kane. If you are not one of these fortunate people, rejoice, for Image is now reprinting these trades. Grist's story of a detective with personal difficulties in a well-realized imaginary city is gripping reading, and I'm ecstatic to see the book return to the shelves. Lex Talionis: A Jungle Tale (Image) - DAVE: It's a 48-page one shot of jungle action! It's a metaphysical tale of gorillas gone murderous! It's got artwork described as being, "...of a style not seen before in comics." I like all those elements in theory - let's see if they can fit together. Rex Mundi Vol. 1: The Guardian of the Temple TP (Image) - RANDY: Another favorite of mine at Image that is getting the trade treatment this month, Rex Mundi is a fascinating mix of alternate history, magic and conspiracy. Set in a 1930's Paris where the Inquisition still reigns, the story follows a doctor who gets mixed up in high level politics, a shadow society based around a forbidden religious order and a former flame who may be mixed up in both. It's got beautiful full-color artwork by Eric J and Jeromy Cox, and the trade promises to be one of those "deluxe DVD" versions with world maps, sketchbooks, pin-ups by big name artists and cool stuff like that. This should absolutely be on your order form for this month. DAVE: Did someone say conspiracy?! I'm all over this bad boy, having missed it during its initial run. Shangri-La GN (Image) - RANDY: I read a rough copy of this one in electronic form quite a while back, and while the details have long since left my crumbling gray matter, I do recall it being a fun mix of rock and roll stars, action adventure and conspiracy. Marc Bryant has a gift for the high concept, and Shangri-La, which combines record label politics, buddy comedy and trouble on the run is a nice delivery on one such entertaining idea. Stay Puffed (Image) - RANDY: John Layman and Dave Crosland turned in a deranged and laugh-out-loud funny romp with Puffed, and this one shot sequel looks like it might top the first in terms of tasteless humor and laughs both. Including references to the Iraq war will no doubt raise some hackles (and maybe earn the book some mainstream press?), and given what these guys did with the concept of a guy in a mascot costume in the first mini-series, I'm anxious to see what they do with a psychotic former janitor in the midst of a messed-up war. Common Grounds #1 (Image/Top Cow) - RANDY: Honestly, Top Cow has more misses than hits for me, but Common Grounds strikes my interest for several reason. One is the premise, an Astro City-esque idea that there's a chain of coffee shops that serve as neutral ground for heroes and villains. It's the kind of thing that it opens things up for unusual interactions between friends and foes. Another is the impressive list of guest artists, which includes big names like Michael Avon Oeming and J. Scott Campbell. Most importantly, however, is that Common Grounds started life as mini-comic Holley Crullers, and the record for mini-comic to full-size comic transition is really good in terms of quality, including such titles as True Story, Swear to God and The Copybook Tales. I'm looking forward to this one. DAVE: I think I'm already been filled to the brim with naval-gazing, idiosyncratic superhero high concepts, and yet...who can deny the potential of coffee-shop banter? I'll peek, somewhat grudgingly, and wish we just had an idiosyncratic comic about *normal* folks hanging out in coffee shops. RANDY: Dude, you're up on the indy scene... I'm surprised at you. There are hundreds of idiosyncratic comics about normal folks hanging out in comics shops. Avengers #77 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: It'd be so easy to just dump on this issue for being the first in the run of dubious writer Chuck Austen, but I confess to curiousity about seeing the old Thor villains, The Wrecking Crew, tearing up Great Britain. And besides, Austen's due a success one of these days, right? RIGHT?! RANDY: I had to rewrite my answer to this several times, because it just became too heartless and mean for me. So I'll just say that I'm afraid this is going to be a tremendous waste of the talents of Olivier Coipel and Scott Kolins. Yeah, that was the nice version. I don't bear Chuck Austen any particular ill will, but I'm just not a fan. Fantastic Four #509 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: You'd think the return of Waid and Wieringo as a team on this book would be cause for celebration, right? Well the team *is* great, but I can't help but view this issue with some distaste as I recall the whole ridiculous debacle of Mark Waid's firing from the book. A full salute to the creative team, a Bronx cheer for Marvel. RANDY: Well, I'll give Marvel (and specifically Joe Quesada) a little bit of credit for backing down, admitting they were wrong and getting this team back onboard the book. Honestly, that kind of back-pedalling and crow-eating, even when you're so completely and obviously in the wrong, is a rarity amongst the big two. And the end result is, more Waid/Wieringo Fantastic Four, which just rocks. Let's save our ire for current debacles, like the bizarre "on or off" status of the Tsunami trades. Startling Stories: The Incorrigible Hulk #1 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: It's more comical weirdness from indie-boy, Peter Bagge, with a one-shot tale of two women coming between the Hulk and his alter ego. I thought his Spider-Man one-shot was a little flaccid in the yuks department, though, not even a worthy successor to Not Brand Echh! and What The..?!. Maybe with a "mature readers" label... Spider-Man Unlimited #1 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: And I think this book officially mark the total overexposure of Spider-Man, a bi-monthly ongoing series meant to use everyone's favorite wall-crawler as a showcase for new talent. If the stories are good, I'll shut up. If they're not, then I'll remind Marvel what too many titles has done to DC's Superman franchise... RANDY: Superman, hell. It wasn't too long ago that Marvel did the same thing to Spider-Man, and now they seem on the verge of doing it again, in the name of providing plenty of Spidey material in time for the movie sequel. Which is a noble goal, but if that's what they're doing, maybe it wouldn't be too much trouble to provide one friggin' comic for the younger kids who are looking for Spider-Man comics? I love Ultimate Spider-Man, but that is a comic for teens and up, and a lot of the kids who came in off the first movie were much younger than that and wanted none of this talky Spider-Man... they wanted him punching brightly-clad villains! Whew. Off on a bit of a rant there. Anyway, these "Unlimited" series are in theory a place for new talent to cut their teeth and get their foot in the door at Marvel. A noble enough goal, but if they're anything like the previous "Unlimited" series, they'll more than likely wind up as pointless filler from established talent by the time they get to issue three or four. New X-Men #151 & 152 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Grant Morrison has gleefully (and successfully) reinterpreted many classic X-Men themes during his run, from evil twins to new Sentinels to mutant experimentation, and this issue has him turning his attention to yet another classic: the future of the X-Men and mutantkind. I hate the quagmire that's grown from the brilliant "Days of Future Past" story by Claremont and Byrne, but if anyone can offer a fresh perspective on it, it's Morrison. And it's *sniff, sniff* his final arc! RANDY: After re-reading "Days of Future Past" recently in the Wizard X-Men hardcover (a sweet little production, actually), I'm jazzed to see Morrison's take on this classic (and often fumbled) concept. I'd be more jazzed if the preview art by Marc Silvestri didn't look like the worst excesses of Image-style art from the 90's, but it's passable at least, and I do recall enjoying Silvestri's run on the book way back when. Daredevil #56 (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Bendis and Maleev return - what more need be said? By this point I figure you've all decided whether you like 'em or not. I fall into category #2. RANDY: Although I was a little disappointed in "Hardcore," their final arc in the previous run, I'm definitely in category #1. Maleev isn't always up to the action sequences (for that matter, I'm not sure Bendis is either), but the gritty crime feel on this book has made it spectacular reading for the most part, and I find myself looking forward to the return of this creative team more than I thought I would be. Punisher Max #1 (Marvel Comics/MAX) - RANDY: It's an exciting new era for the Punisher, as he takes on a new name! So long, Frank Castle! Meet the newest member of the Punisher Corps, Max Lebowski, a former plumber who takes up guns when... what? That's not why it's being called Punisher Max? Oh, it's going to be like the Ennis Punisher but with more swearing and boobies? Eh. Wake me when they decide to replace him with a plumber. Because as it stands, swears or no, Ennis's Punisher feels pretty played out to me. DAVE: Even stick-up-the-ass me will acknowledge that Ennis can be a masterful writer...and this is what he's wasting his time on? Adding an R-rating to Marvel's most two-dimensional character?! Deathlok: Detour #1 (Marvel Comics/MAX) - RANDY: On the list of my favorite characters, Deathlok is... well, if the list is book-length, he appears somewhere near the index at the back. But I have enjoyed some of the work on the character, most notably that of Dwayne McDuffie in the 1990's. Detour appears to be a very different take, promising to be a post-apocalyptic comedy in the vein of The Farrelly Brothers written by Daniel Way. Honestly, the concept leaves me unexcited, but the artwork, stunning visuals by Darick Robertson, who did such a great job with futuristic in Transmetropolitan, has me curious despite my lack of interest in the concept. DAVE: Boy do I like Darick Robertson's art. And that's all I have to say about that. Inhumans #9 & 10 (Marvel Comics/Tsunami) - RANDY: Well, who the hell knows if there's going to be a trade of Inhumans at this point (there are conflicting reports from various online sources, not to mention Marvel talking to retailers, about all the Tsunami trades), but at any rate, this Tsunami series has been a very pleasant surprise. If the trade never comes out, the book may die from lack of support, but let's be stupidly optimistic about Marvel's chance of doing something right lately and assume the trades will eventually come out, in which case Inhumans #9 is another jumping-on point. It comes complete with artwork by Dave Ross, who blew me away with his work on Chuck Dixon's final Birds of Prey arc and who seems like a good fit for this book. Essential Punisher TP (Marvel Comics) - DAVE: Remember "Mercy Bullets"? Well I do, 'cause I was hip to the Punisher back in the day, son, back before it was trendy, back when he was just a surprisingly cool Death Wish knock-off, working for the Jackal and introducing a little moral ambiguity to Spider-Man and Daredevil's worlds. And y'know what? I prefer him in those stories, a clear antagonist who wasn't muddying the waters of what it meant to be a hero in the Marvel Universe. So check this volume out. The Frank Miller-drawn/Denny O'Neil-scripted Amazing Spider-Man annual is a particularly great appearance. RANDY: And suddenly, The Essential Ant-Man seems just slightly less ridiculous. Captain America Vol. 4: Captain America Lives Again TP (Marvel Comics) - RANDY: Given my disappointment in The Truth and much of Chris Bachalo's work since leaving Shade The Changing Man, I remain cautiously pessimistic about the Morales/Bachalo Captain America run. However, this trade is a breath of fresh air for the modern Captain America fan, a nifty little take on alternate timelines with Cap fighting Nazis alongside a whole bunch of familiar faces from the Marvel Universe. And the artwork, by Lee Weeks, Tom Palmer and colorist extraordinaire Dave Stewart, is some of the best Marvel has seen all year. DAVE: LOVED this story! A little predictable? Yeah, but it was a class act all the way, with Ratzi's dying by the score! Skidmarks: The Complete Bic Cycle TP (Active Images) - RANDY: I know nothing about Ilya, creator of Skidmarks, and I haven't seen the interiors of the comic. However, Active Images put out a great graphic novel with Strange Embrace and a good one (even if it wasn't my cup of tea) with The Spiral Cage, so I'm inclined to at least give this one a look. It's a drama with romance elements, seemingly set against the backdrop of BMX racing. Unusual? Yeah. But intriguing. The Couriers Volume 2: Dirtbike Manifesto GN (AIT/Planet Lar) - RANDY: The first Couriers graphic novel was a fun action movie on paper, and I've no reason to expect that volume two, with the same creative team, will be anything less. Para Para Volume 1 TP (Comicsone) - DAVE: Man do I love the premise of some of the weirder manga, this one involving a lady dance competitor and a young gangster drawn together in a web of mystery. Promising intrigue and hip dance moves, Para Para is definitely one I'll seek, even though I'm not a big fan of writer/artist Andy Seto's storytelling. RANDY: Wow, such mixed feelings here. I've found Seto's work to be pretty much incomprehensible on all the projects I've sampled, but the weird "Dance Dance Revolution" vibe of this one makes me wonder if Comicsone can strike gold with me again the way they have with Iron Wok Jan! G.I. Joe: Cobra Reborn #1 (Devil's Due) - DAVE: For the record, this is one of two one-shots meant to set the stage for yet another G.I. Joe comic, a sort of "Ultimate G.I. Joe" that will actually start the team's story over from the beginning. On one hand, I'm just weirded out by the fact that I've lived long enough to see one of the seminal comics of my youth re-made (I guess now I understand some of the outrage from Silver Agers over Ultimate Spider-Man. On the other hand, I greet it with a shrug, and an amicable, "Not interested, but good luck." Larry Hama wrote the definitive run in the 80's and 90's, there's nothing to be embarassed about in it, and I think I've pretty much had my fill. RANDY: See, I'm right with you in the weirdness of seeing G.I. Joe given an "Ultimate" version since I remember buying the early issues of the newsstand, but it doesn't make me feel any sympathy for those who hated Ultimate Spider-Man without even seeing it. Because honestly, I'm kind of curious about this more modern, more grown-up reinvention of the characters. It's a morbid sort of curiosity, though, because the creators of the "Ultimate Joes" are John Ney Rieber and Paul Jenkins, both of whom have been more miss than hit with me, and they're doing it at the behest of Devil's Due, which has the same track record with G.I. Joe for me. G.I. Joe #26 (Devil's Due) - RANDY: Given my dissatisfaction with the new G.I. Joe series in general, I was just about ready to write the whole thing off... but then they put new writer Brandon Jerwa on the book. Jerwa wasn't the second coming of Hama that I had hoped he might be, as his Frontline story started off much stronger than it ended, but he does seem to get the Joes, and I'm curious to see what he'll do when given the reins of the main book, just as it moves out from Image and into the realm of self-publishing with Devil's Due. Dragonlance: The Legend of Huma #1 (Devil's Due) - DAVE: I'll be checking this one out with fond memories of reading the cheesy-but-cool Dragonlance novels in junior high and high school. It's set during one of the "legendary" eras of the series, though, which is too bad. I want the heroes I can relate to, not the big muckety-muck Aragon types. RANDY: Call me a geek if you must, but I think there's every possibility that someone could take some of the weird, unusual monsters of the D&D world and do a cool Dungeons & Dragons comic. Beholders, displacer beasts, all those weirdo things, with classic fantasy stories and really good color art? I'd be all over that. Hell, even if it were set in the Forgotten Realms, the D&D world that interests me, I'd be curious. But I'm just not much of a Dragonlance fan. I know that many are, though, and I suspect Devil's Due will do a decent job on this one. Classic Pin-Ups: Jack Cole HC (Fantagraphics Books) - DAVE: Indulge yourself! Genius artist Jack Cole, creator of Plastic Man, is perhaps just as reknowned for his early cheesecake cartooning for a fledgling Playboy magazine. This is the rich man's cheesecake. Fans of Jessica Rabbit take note! The Shield: Spotlight #1 (IDW) - DAVE: I really just can't picture TV and anime transitioning well to comics without using the ultra-decompressed, cinematic style of manga, or say, Ultimate Spider-Man. And yet...I love The Shield, and so must give it a chance! RANDY: Despite my love for both The Shield and IDW as a company, I think I'll probably pass this one up. I saw some of it at the Las Vegas Con, and it's well-written and well-drawn, but I just don't think the strengths of the TV series can translate into a static format like comics. That said, though, kudos to IDW for picking up on non-science-fiction TV licenses, which seems like a great way to bring more of the mainstream into comics. 30 Days of Night Annual 2004 (IDW) - RANDY: It's a variety of artists I've never heard of, but they're teaming with Steve Niles to work on tales of the world of 30 Days of Night. Given that 30 Days was mostly about the gimmick premise of a town in Alaska where vampires could feed freely, I'm a little surprised that there's been room for a sequel or for stories that aren't directly tied to that premise. But Dark Days, about vampires slowly becoming public knowledge, has been entertaining, and I'm curious to see how Niles will back-fill the continuity of his world with this annual. Certainly Buffy the Vampire Slayer has had very good stories that have nothing to do with the Slayer, so 30 Days seems as rich a realm as any for futher horror material. The Bible: Eden (IDW) - RANDY: Originally published in Penthouse Comics, until they asked the creators to "dirty it up," this is a fairly faithful adaptation of the Biblical tale of Adam and Eve, whose naughtiness comes not from hot sex but from the nakedity which is just part of the times. That might explain why Penthouse didn't find it rowdy enough for their comics. At any rate, IDW will no doubt do a beautiful job of collecting these stories, and the painted artwork I've seen does look pretty impressive. Godspeed: The Kurt Cobain TP (Omnibus Press) - DAVE: Just what it sounds like, this is a graphic novel telling the tale of doomed rocker Kurt Cobain. The text promises a tone that "fluctuates between subjective dream states and objective reality." Sounds appropriate. Real Stuff TP (Swifty Morales Press) - DAVE: I recently discovered Harvey Pekar's autobiographical comics. Fascinating stuff and hard to pull away from, so I might actually be open to more in the same vein. This one's the tale of one Dennis Eichhorn, about whom I know...NOTHING...but he promises sex, drugs, violence, and angst, and his list of artistic collaborators are a who's who of top tier indy guys: Dan Clowes, Chester Brown, Peter Bagge, and the Hernandez Brothers. I can almost feel the disquieting intimacy already! Email Randy Lander comments about this review.